Meet the phenomenon of teenage hockey going to the top WHL draft topic from Yukon Link in the backyard

The last hockey season was a good season for Gavin McKenna in the U18 division of the Canadian Sports School Hockey League.

He scored 65 points in 35 games, the highest score. 

McKenna's outstanding performance made him the first comprehensive draft topic by the Medison Hat Tigers in the next Western Hockey League (WHL) season. ..

"I knew I had to accomplish something," McKenna said from Whitehorse's house. "But yeah, it came soon, so uh, it was a little surprised."

That's because McKenna is only 14 years old. 

According to CSSHL, he grants exceptional player status from B.C. It's just the third player to be played. Hockey and Hockey Alberta, behind Connor Bedard of WHL and Matthew Savoie. A strong candidate for the2022 NHL Drafton Thursday at 7pm. ET. The 

status gives the player the unusual privilege of joining the WHL at such an early age. 

'Really exceptional'

Medicine Hat Tigers head coach and general manager Willy De Jardin likes McKenna's way of playing, especially McKenna's lead in scoring. I like how to do it.

"I want to win the championship," Desjardins said. 

He turns 15 in December, even though WHL rules stipulate that McKenna can only play 5 games this season due to his age. I hope I can help with that. 

2021 to 2022 In this season, the Tigers came last at the WHL Eastern Conference with 11 wins and 53 losses.

"So we made some moves, and that's the only reason we got Gavin. We traded off other players. We I got another pick in the first round. "

Desjardins says he can see McKenna's confidence on the ice and prepare to succeed. 

"I'm looking forward to seeing a guy who gets excited when the game starts and a guy who doesn't be afraid to pack and wants it. He wants it. He wants it. Wants to be there. Those things excite me about the players. "

Dejardan, a former NHL coach and coach of the 2018 Canada Olympics Men's Hockey Team I admit that I rarely meet players like McKenna.

"His vision is truly extraordinary." 

He says 14 years old is rarely chosen as the first overall pick.

See | Gavin McKenna's Medicine Hat Coach Willy De Jardin:  Medicine Hat Tigers Head Coach and GM Willy de Jardin is the top pick of the 14-this year's Western Hockey League draft.

"He has a lot of growth and a lot to do. There is a lot to overcome," Dejardan said. 

"It's a process, so I'm still not sure where he'll end up, but he's definitely on track."

Go to the game Love

McKenna's parents, Willy and Crystal, both played hockey, so it was easy to convey their love for the game to their only son, who was obsessed with {170. .. } Very young age. 

Krystal remembers those years very well, including the early ice hours almost every day. She is not only on the ice, but also outside the ice, especially in the basement of an old unfurnished White Horse house.

"We left it open for him, and he shot balls, packs, etc. on the net, which severely damaged the wall."

Willy also built an outdoor link in the backyard every winter, and McKenna was there even in -30 ° C weather. 

"My dad obviously spent a lot of time making it, so I also spent hours on the ice. I'll have to pay him back, "McKenna said, laughing. 

He also says that shooting more than 100 packs a day in the backyard helped him get to where he is now. 

According to the family, the White Horse people and the business community are helping to raise money so that they can travel at least 12 times a year to go to hockey camps and tournaments. 

Krystal, whether people bought a ruffle ticket or a Christmas tree, she couldn't do it without its support Say 

"Whatever we were selling, they bought it, whether they wanted it or not. If they were collecting pop cans for recycling, the neighborhood The people were definitely there. "

At the expense

McKenna started going to hockey camps and tournaments at the age of eight. Since then, he has been far away from Italy, Nashville, and more recently Detroit for training. 

"We really had no choice," Crystal said of his decision to take his son to hockey. "He didn't have much competition here, so we knew he needed to be challenged."

Willy is proud of how far his son has come. Say that.

"He has to work harder than many teens, but at the same time he meets so many different people. He makes so many different friends. "

In the last season, McKenna attended the RINK Hockey Academy in Kerona BC, where he had ice and gym time every day. Spent and was scouted by WHL.

"There is a lot of pressure coming from the first overall choice," he admitted. "I'm just playing with older people, more skilled people, faster people, stronger people. I'm nervous, but I'm excited about this opportunity."

McKenna is most 14 years old. Knowing that it's not an opportunity for anyone to get, spends the summer training in Whitehorse, the opening game of the Tigers season against the Lesbridge Hurricane in September. .. twenty four.